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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. board — a committee
  5. race — a contest
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. board — to get on
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. race — humankind
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. deal — to handle
  15. toast — bread
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. plane — a tool
  19. vault — a safe
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. race — the arms race
  24. kick — in football

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com